Pressure bulkhead for a railway car

ABSTRACT

Lading restraining bulkheads for a railway boxcar are movable on overhead tracks and floor tracks along both sides of the car. Each bulkhead has a platen supported on a frame by air bellows. The frame and platen have spring pressed detents extending into perforations of the tracks. The detents are beveled on the lading side so that a sufficient force on the platen will cam the detents open and move the platen toward the lading. This action will occur when an impact on the car causes compaction of the lading.

United States Patent [191 Thornton et al.

[ 51 Feb. 27, 1973 PRESSURE BULKHEAD FOR A RAILWAY CAR [75] Inventors: Duane V. Thornton; Jan D. Holt,

both of St. Charles, Mo.

[73] Assignee: ACF Industries, Incorporated, New

York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 86,804

[52] US. Cl ..105/369 BA, 105/376 [51] Int. Cl. ..B60p 7/14 [58] Field of Search.105/366 C, 369 BA, 369 S, 376; 2l4,10.5 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1969 Brown, Jr. et al. ..105/369 BA 1/1971 Duvall et a1 ..105/369 BA 1,521,156 12/1924 Jenkins 105/366 C 1,666,148 4/1928 Rick ..l05/366 C 3,177,816 4/1965 Daberkow ..105/369 BA 3,217,664 11/1965 Aquino et al ..105/376 3,241,502 3/1966 Magarian et al ..105/376 Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Att0rneySamuel J. Snyder and Eugene N. Riddle [5 7 ABSTRACT Lading restraining bulkheads for a railway boxcar are movable on overhead tracks and floor tracks along both sides of the car. Each bulkhead has a platen supported on a frame by air bellows. The frame and platen have spring pressed detents extending into perforations of the tracks. The detents are beveled on the lading side so that a sufficient force on the platen will cam the detents open and move the platen toward the lading. This action will occur when an impact on the car causes compaction of the lading.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZYIHH 3,718,099 SHEET 10F 4 zgza-zfizii gqtz rO i N T M Q T 2' l 2 L T'TI 3 I I I ,l I I 1' I J I III I l '5 L11 l \i INVENTORS.

\ DUANE D. THORNTON Q JAN D. HOLT BY 4; I 67/,

ATTORNEY PATENTEDFEBZYIBB SHEET u or 4 /&-

FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.;

PRESSURE BULKHEAD FOR A RAILWAY CAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION fixed in its new position tightly pressed against the lad- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pressurized bulkhead includes a frame and rigid platen, both having wheels riding on a pair of upper tracks in a railway boxcar and pawls or detents for engaging notches or perforations in the upper tracks and a pair of tracks on the floor. A plurality of air bellows are located between and fastened to the frame and platen. Air conduits are connected to the bellows for inflating them to force the platen against the lading after the bulkhead is moved against the lading and locked in position. The detents are spring pressed outward, and are beveled only on the side toward the lading so that the air bellows can move the platen toward the lading, but the detents prevent both the frame and platen from moving away from the lading. Levers and linkages are provided for retracting the detents to permit the bulkhead to be moved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of a railway car with parts broken away to show the bulkheads.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a bulkhead in contracted condition and with the detents retracted.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the bulkhead expanded.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the detent structure.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of one of the bellows taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing, a railway boxcar 10 is equipped with a pair of bulkheads 12, 14, movable from any position 16 into abutment with lading L. For the sake of conciseness, the invention will be exemplified only by an embodiment in which each bulkhead has a frame 18 and only one platen 20 fixed to the frame by four air bellows 22. Linkages 24 on opposite ends of the bulkhead limit movement of the platen from the frame. Both frame 18 and platen 20 are supported on wheels 26, 27 mounted on overhead track 28, 29. These, as well as floor tracks 30, 31, are notched or perforated to receive detents or pawls 32, 34. The detents have a bevel 36 on their sides toward the lading. The detents include a loop 38 pressed outward by a spring 40 on a rod 42 extending through loop 38 and having nut 44 on its end for lifting the loop. Thus, the detents and perforated tracks form a ratchet permitting only unidirectional movement in the operative condition.

Linkages 24, including links 46 and 48, are pivotally connected at both ends to frame 18 and platen 20 and to vertical bars 50. Rod 42 and similar rods 52, 54, 56, at both sides of the bulkhead, are connected to crank levers 62, 64 fixed on horizontal rods, or the like, 66, 68, to which are connected operating handles or levers 70, 72. It is apparent that, when the bulkhead is collapsed, raising lever 70, which engages and raises lever 72, will retract all detents 32, 34 and free the bulkhead for movement along the car. Air is supplied to all bellows 22 by a piping system 74 having a valve 76. Platen 20, at least, has a smooth outer face 78 and both frame 18 and platen 20 have a framework of welded steel channels 80 and beams 82.

The operation and use of the bulkheads will be apparent from the above description. When levers 70, 72 are in their upper positions (FIG. 4), the bulkheads are moved on tracks 28, 29 until platen 20 is pressed against the lading L. Levers 70, 72 are then lowered and detents 32, 34 engage tracks 28 to 31 to form ratchets or unidirectional locking means permitting movement of frame 18 and platen 20 only toward the lading in transit. A source of high pressure air is then connected to valve 76 to inflate bellows 22 and force platen 20 against the lading. As the bellows are inflated, a sufficient force is applied to platen 20 to move detents 32 out of the perforations in tracks 30, 31 and move the platen away from frame 18 and compact the lading more tightly. Frame 18, of course, will not move, because the back of detents 34 are not beveled. If an impact on the car occurs, the lading may be further compacted, and then the pressure of the bellows, possibly aided by the impact force, will move platen 18 against the lading in its newly compacted position. The entire bulkhead may be moved toward the lading under certain impact conditions, but neither frame 18 nor platen 20 can move away from the lading in transit. Thus, the bulkhead functions to hold the lading tightly compacted and prevents it from being thrown about during car impacts or sudden movements. When it is desired to remove the bulkhead from the lading, the air is let out through valve 76 and detents 32, 34 are retracted by raising levers 70, 7 2.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway box car comprising:

overhead guide means extending longitudinally along each side of the car;

at least one transverse bulkhead mounted for longitudinal movement within said car, said bulkhead comprising a rigid frame and a platen mounted on one side of the frame;

resilient means urging said platen away from said frame toward a compactable, floor supported, lading to be transported;

means for mounting said frame on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car;

means, separate from the means mounting the frame,

for mounting said platen on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car;

upper locating means comprising means located adjacent the frame in the upper portion of the car in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of each. side of the car for releasably securing said frame in one of said spaced positions; floor locating means comprising means located in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the floor on each side of the car for releasably securing respectively said frame and said platen in nearby ones of said spaced positions;

frame locking means on said frame cooperating with said upper locating means and floor locating means for locking the frame in one of said spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the car against movement in a direction away from said platen;

platen locking means on said platen cooperating with said floor locating means for locking the platen in one of said spaced positions in said floor locating means adjacent said lading and against movement thereof toward the frame, said platen locking means being adapted to unlock in response to longitudinal forces on the platen resulting from said resilient means and from impact on the car to move said platen in a direction away from said frame and toward said lading and relock the platen in another of said spaced positions adjacent said lading.

2. A railway car according to claim 1 wherein said platen locking means comprises means engaging said upper locating means in locked position.

3. A railway car according to claim 2 wherein said frame locking means comprises resilient means urging frame locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and wherein means are provided to disengage said frame locking members to move said frame within the car.

4. A railway car according to claim 3 wherein said platen locking means comprises resilient means urging platen locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and wherein means are provided to disengage said platen locking members to move said platen within the car.

5. A railway car according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises at least one bellows.

6. A railway box car according to claim 4 wherein said platen locking members comprise at least one bevelled detent.

7. A railway box car comprising:

overhead guide means extending longitudinally along each side of the car;

at least two transverse bulkheads mounted for longitudinal movement within said car, said bulkheads comprising a rigid frame and a rigid platen mounted on one side of the frame;

inflatable resilient means urging said platen away from said frame toward a compactable, floor supported, lading to be transported;

means for mounting said frame on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car;

means, separate from the means mounting the frame, for mounting said platen on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car; upper locating means comprising means located adjacent the frame in the upper portion of the car in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of each side of the car for releasably securing said frame and said platen in one of said spaced positions; floor locating means comprising means located in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the floor on each side of the car for releasably securing respectively said frame and said platen in nearby ones of said spaced positions;

frame locking means comprising means on said frame cooperating with said upper locating means and floor locating means for locking the frame in one of said spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the car against movement in a direction away from said platen, said frame locking means further comprising resilient means urging frame locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and means to disengage said frame locking members to move said frame within the car;

platen locking means on said platen cooperating with said floor locating means and said upper locating means for locking the platen in one of said spaced positions in said floor locating means adjacent said lading and against movement thereof toward the frame, said platen locking means further comprising resilient means urging a platen locking member into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position, and means to disengage said platen locking member to move said platen within the car;

said platen locking means being adapted to unlock in response to longitudinal forces on the platen resulting from said resilient means and from impact on the car to move said platen in a direction away from said frame and toward said lading and relock the platen in another of said spaced positions adjacent said lading.

8. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said upper locating means are located integral with said overhead guide means.

9. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said floor locating means comprises openings in said floor.

10. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said inflatable resilient means comprises at least one bellows mounted between said frame and said platen.

11. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said frame locking means and said platen locking means comprise detents which engage openings in said upper locating means and said floor locating means.

a a s a a: 

1. A railway box car comprising: overhead guide means extending longitudinally along each side of the car; at least one transverse bulkhead mounted for longitudinal movement within said car, said bulkhead comprising a rigid frame and a platen mounted on one side of the frame; resilient means urging said platen away from said frame toward a compactable, floor supported, lading to be transported; means for mounting said frame on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car; means, separate from the means mounting the frame, for mounting said platen on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car; upper locating means comprising means located adjacent the frame in the upper portion of the car in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of each side of the car for releasably securing said frame in one of said spaced positions; floor locating means comprising means located in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the floor on each side of the car for releasably securing respectively said frame and said platen in nearby ones of said spaced positions; frame locking means on said frame cooperating with said upper locating means and floor locating means for locking the frame in one of said spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the car against movemeNt in a direction away from said platen; platen locking means on said platen cooperating with said floor locating means for locking the platen in one of said spaced positions in said floor locating means adjacent said lading and against movement thereof toward the frame, said platen locking means being adapted to unlock in response to longitudinal forces on the platen resulting from said resilient means and from impact on the car to move said platen in a direction away from said frame and toward said lading and relock the platen in another of said spaced positions adjacent said lading.
 2. A railway car according to claim 1 wherein said platen locking means comprises means engaging said upper locating means in locked position.
 3. A railway car according to claim 2 wherein said frame locking means comprises resilient means urging frame locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and wherein means are provided to disengage said frame locking members to move said frame within the car.
 4. A railway car according to claim 3 wherein said platen locking means comprises resilient means urging platen locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and wherein means are provided to disengage said platen locking members to move said platen within the car.
 5. A railway car according to claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises at least one bellows.
 6. A railway box car according to claim 4 wherein said platen locking members comprise at least one bevelled detent.
 7. A railway box car comprising: overhead guide means extending longitudinally along each side of the car; at least two transverse bulkheads mounted for longitudinal movement within said car, said bulkheads comprising a rigid frame and a rigid platen mounted on one side of the frame; inflatable resilient means urging said platen away from said frame toward a compactable, floor supported, lading to be transported; means for mounting said frame on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car; means, separate from the means mounting the frame, for mounting said platen on said overhead guide means for longitudinal movement within the car; upper locating means comprising means located adjacent the frame in the upper portion of the car in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of each side of the car for releasably securing said frame and said platen in one of said spaced positions; floor locating means comprising means located in a plurality of spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the floor on each side of the car for releasably securing respectively said frame and said platen in nearby ones of said spaced positions; frame locking means comprising means on said frame cooperating with said upper locating means and floor locating means for locking the frame in one of said spaced positions along the longitudinal length of the car against movement in a direction away from said platen, said frame locking means further comprising resilient means urging frame locking members into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position and means to disengage said frame locking members to move said frame within the car; platen locking means on said platen cooperating with said floor locating means and said upper locating means for locking the platen in one of said spaced positions in said floor locating means adjacent said lading and against movement thereof toward the frame, said platen locking means further comprising resilient means urging a platen locking member into engagement with said upper locating means and said floor locating means in locked position, and means to disengage said platen locking member to move said platen within the car; said platen locking means being adapted to unlock in response to longitudinal forces on the platen resulTing from said resilient means and from impact on the car to move said platen in a direction away from said frame and toward said lading and relock the platen in another of said spaced positions adjacent said lading.
 8. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said upper locating means are located integral with said overhead guide means.
 9. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said floor locating means comprises openings in said floor.
 10. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said inflatable resilient means comprises at least one bellows mounted between said frame and said platen.
 11. A railway car according to claim 7 wherein said frame locking means and said platen locking means comprise detents which engage openings in said upper locating means and said floor locating means. 